The idea of load balancing is well defined in the IT world: A network device accepts traffic on behalf ofa group of servers, and distributes that traffic according to load balancing algorithms and the availabilityof the services that the servers provide. From network administrators to server administrators to applicationdevelopers, this is a generally well understood concept.

Cisco engaged Miercom to conduct a competitive analysis of its Catalyst 2960-X switch versus two comparable Hewlett-Packard switches from the 2920 and 5120 product families. Miercom executed comprehensive hands-on testing and evaluated the performance of some widely deployed features that are critical for reliable functioning of enterprise networks. The test methodology focused on specific areas in which Cisco believed there were key competitive differentiators between the products. Test results validated include throughput, latency, energy efficiency, stacking, LACP load balancing and Quality of Services (QoS) performance. Miercom found that the Cisco Catalyst 2960-X demonstrated superior performances against the competitive switches in the tests featured in this report.

Virtualization has transformed the data center over the past decade. IT departments use virtualization to consolidate multiple server workloads onto a smaller number of more powerful servers. They use virtualization to scale existing applications by
adding more virtual machines to support them, and they deploy new applications without having to purchase additional servers to do so. They achieve greater resource utilization by balancing workloads across a large pool of servers in real time—and they respond more quickly to changes in workload or server availability by moving virtual machines between physical servers. Virtualized environments support private clouds on which application engineers can now provision their own virtual servers and networks in environments that expand and contract on demand.

Because of its location in the data center network, the selection of an Application Delivery Controller requires careful consideration of both function and finance. This paper explores elements to evaluate, like network performance, and security.

Today’s network edge is increasingly taking on a critical role in connecting users to the digital content and web services that they need to reach. This is driving a new approach to load balancing that starts at the edge. Powered by DNS, edge-based global load balancing (GLB) steers user traffic to destination endpoints based on IT-defined policies.
GLB works independently or in concert with site-based, or on premises, load balancing technologies in a “federated” system. This approach applies load balancing and traffic steering policies at each layer from the user edge to the host—whether virtual or physical—where the request is actually served.

Today’s network edge is increasingly taking on a critical role in connecting users to the digital content and web services that they need to reach. This is driving a new approach to load balancing that starts at the edge. Powered by DNS, edge-based global load balancing (GLB) steers user traffic to destination endpoints based on IT-defined policies.
GLB works independently or in concert with site-based, or on premises, load balancing technologies in a “federated” system. This approach applies load balancing and traffic steering policies at each layer from the user edge to the host—whether virtual or physical—where the request is actually served.

"Most organizations have invested in improving the performance and resiliency of their on-premise Global Load Balancing (GLB) capabilities, but very few organizations are able to achieve the level of performance and high availability that a cloud-based anycast DNS network can offer.
Enterprises across the globe have begun complementing their existing GLB with a DNS service that operates in an always-on manner and can effectively manage and balance internet traffic through intelligent steering capabilities.
Download whitepaper and learn the keys to:
• Maintaining availability - through global and regional load balancing
• Improving digital experience in a hybrid cloud environment
• Increasing performance and reliability through a secondary DNS solution
Learn more!
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"Hybrid cloud adoption is exploding, with 80% of enterprises having at least some infrastructure in the cloud. This growth includes increased use of multiple endpoints to deliver applications, sites and services, requiring a performance management strategy to ensure those services reach users effectively.
This educational webinar will cover the importance of:
• Optimizing round trip times and latency, with clear real-time data
• Understanding the importance of load balancing and active failover
• Protecting your service from route hijacks, DDoS attacks and mitigating vulnerabilities
Watch this short Video Webinar and learn how focusing on the DNS layer can help you plan, migrate and optimize your way to cloud success! Watch now!
"

Every user’s first interaction with your website begins with a series of DNS queries. The Domain Name System or DNS is a distributed internet database that maps human-readable names to IP addresses, ensuring users reach the correct online asset (website, application, etc) efficiently. Knowing the complexities and best practices of this layer of your online infrastructure will help your organization build redundancy, improve end-user performance and establish a top notch DR plan.
Download this guide to DNS top terms and actionable concepts including:
Anycast vs. Unicast networks
CNAME
DDoS and Hijacking
Load Balancing and GSLB

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